Today’s compact crossovers are more than just fuel-efficient people haulers. They are also stylish machines with impressive powertrains. Two models that fit this mold well are the 2020 Chevy Equinox and the 2020 Honda CR-V. Which one is best for your Jacksonville area family? Find out below.
Exterior
The Honda CR-V went through a full redesign in 2017, bringing in a sharp, new look that revolutionized this long-running crossover. In 2020, Honda gave it a small refresh that included new front and rear styling, helping it keep pace in this fast-changing segment. This new look is far from revolutionary, but it gives this crossover a sharper nose and a more stylish backside.
The Equinox had its last redesign back in 2018, which brought in a striking new look and rid our minds of the vanilla design the previous-gen Equinox brought to the table. The current Equinox boasts a sportier look with an angular nose, a bold dual-port grille, and sharp body lines that flow down the sides. This look is great for a younger family who needs the room but also wants the style.
As for standard exterior features, the 2020 Chevy Equinox’s base model includes a mixture of basic equipment and some more-advanced goodies. These include 17-inch aluminum wheels, black lower window trim, active grille shutters, automatic-on/off halogen headlights, LED daytime running lights, an acoustic-laminated windshield, black mirror caps, heated, power mirrors, body-color door handles.
The CR-V’s standard features are similar to the Equinox’s and include 17-inch alloy wheels, two-speed intermittent windshield wipers, power side-view mirrors, multireflector halogen headlights, active grille shutter, a fin-type roof-mounted antenna, intermittent rear window wiper, remote keyless entry, a black roofline spoiler, black door handles, and more.
When breaking out the tape measure, these two crossovers are virtually identical in size, so there will be no notable difference when driving them.
| Measurement | 2020 Chevy Equinox | 2020 Honda CR-V |
| Length (in.) | 183.1 | 182.1 |
| Width (in.) | 72.6 | 73 |
| Height (in.) | 65.4 | 66.1 (FWD)/66.5 (AWD) |
| Wheelbase (in.) | 107.3 | 104.8 (FWD)/104.7 (AWD) |
| Ground Clearance (in.) | 7.6 to 8 | 7.8 (FWD)/8.2 (AWD) |
| Curb weight (lbs.) | 3,274 to 3,665 | 3,337 to 3,569 |
Advantage: 2020 Chevrolet Equinox
- Sportier look
- Striking body lines
Advantage: 2020 Honda CR-V
- Refined looks
- Refreshed design
Interior
Inside, the Honda CR-V has had a great-looking cabin since its last redesign, and its refresh made it even better with a redesigned center console, repositioned USB ports for easier access, and more flexible storage space. Other than these updates, the 2020 CR-V’s cabin is quite refined with its horizontal lines, available wood trim, large touchscreen, console-mounted shifter, and more.
Inside, the 2020 Chevy Equinox is just as refined-looking as the CR-V, but it also adds some extra style with some swoopiness the Honda lacks. It also features light color contrast and small chrome accents to add a little more style to its dash. The equinox’s HVAC controls are also clean and well-organized, making it easy to change the climate control by feel, without taking your eyes off the road.
When looking at standard interior features, the 2020 Chevy Equinox’s base L 1.5T trim comes with the Chevrolet Infotainment 3 System, a 7-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth® connectivity with audio streaming, Apple CarPlay®, Android Auto™, a six-speaker audio system, active noise cancelation, 4G LTE Wi-Fi® (data plan required), a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, steering-wheel-mounted controls, power windows, one-touch up/down driver’s window, power door locks, keyless open and ignition, cruise control, two USB ports (one type-A and one type-C) in the rear of the center console, and single-zone manual climate control.
The 2020 Honda CR-V’s standard equipment is very similar to the Equinox’s, but it falls short with its 5-inch non-touchscreen infotainment system and lack of standard Android Auto™ and Apple CarPlay®. Lacking these features will can be an eliminating factor for the younger crowd, especially considering the CR-V is more expensive.
As for roominess, these models offer very similar interior roominess, but the CR-V wins big in cargo room with the rear seats up or down.
| Measurement | 2020 Chevy Equinox | 2020 Honda CR-V |
| Front headroom (in.) | 40 (w/o sunroof)/38.2 (w/ sunroof) | 38 (EX, EX-L, Touring)/40.1 (LX) |
| Front legroom (in.) | 40.9 | 41.3 |
| Front shoulder room (in.) | 57.2 | 57.9 |
| Front hip room (in.) | 54.2 | 55.1 |
| Rear headroom (in.) | 38.2 (w/o sunroof)/36.9 (w/ sunroof) | 39.1 (EX, EX-L, Touring)/39.2 (LX) |
| Rear legroom (in.) | 39.9 | 40.4 |
| Rear shoulder room (in.) | 55.5 | 55.6 |
| Rear hip room (in.) | 51.7 | 49.5 |
| Cargo room (cu. Ft.) (seats upright) | 29.9 | 37.6 (Touring)/39.2 (LX, EX, EX-L) |
| Cargo room (cu. Ft.) (seats folded) | 63.9 | 75.8 |
Advantage: 2020 Chevy Equinox
- Standard Android Auto™ and Apple CarPlay®
- Standard 7-inch touchscreen
- More youthful interior design
Advantage: 2020 Honda CR-V
- Refined cabin design
- Tons more cargo room
Performance
Crossovers are moving away from the old days of weak standard four-cylinder engines and more powerful V-6 options to potent and thrifty turbo four-cylinder engines across their entire range. The CR-V and Equinox fall into this class, as the Equinox comes standard with a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that delivers 170 horsepower and 203 pound-feet of torque and pairs with a six-speed automatic transmission. This engine is available with front- or all-wheel drive and zips this compact crossover to 60 mph in 9.2 seconds.
The Equinox’s optional engine is a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder with 252 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. This engine pairs with a nine-speed automatic transmission and front- or all-wheel drive for a 6.8-second 0-to-60 time. Buyers will also have up to a 3,500-pound towing capacity with this powertrain.
The 2020 Honda CR-V has just one engine option: a 1.5-liter turbo four-cylinder with 190 horsepower and 179 pound-feet of torque. This power flows through a continuously variable transmission and out to the front or all four wheels for a 7.7-second 0-to-60 time. Towing comes in at just 1,500 pounds.
| 2020 Chevy Equinox | 2020 Honda CR-V | |
| Standard engine | 1.5-liter turbo 4-cyl | 1.5-liter turbo 3-cyl |
| Horsepower | 170 hp at 5,600 rpm | 190 hp at 5,600 rpm |
| Torque | 203 lb-ft at 2,500 to 4,500 rpm | 179 lb-ft at 2,000 to 5,000 rpm |
| Transmission | 6-spd automatic | CVT |
| Driveline | FWD (std)/AWD (opt) | FWD (std)/AWD (opt) |
| Towing capacity | Not recommended | 1,500 pounds |
| 0-60 time | 9.2 seconds | 7.7 seconds |
| MPG City | 25 mpg (AWD)/26 mpg (FWD) | 27 mpg (AWD)/28 mpg (FWD) |
| MPG Highway | 30 mpg (AWD)/31 mpg (FWD) | 32 mpg (AWD)/34 mpg (FWD) |
| MPG Combined | 27 mpg (AWD)/28 mpg (FWD) | 29 mpg (AWD)/30 mpg (FWD) |
| Optional engine | 2.0-liter turbo 4-cyl | N/A |
| Horsepower | 252 hp at 5,500 rpm | N/A |
| Torque | 260 lb-ft at 2,500 to 4,500 rpm | N/A |
| Transmission | 9-spd automatic | N/A |
| Driveline | FWD (std)/AWD (opt) | N/A |
| Towing capacity | 3,.500 lbs | N/A |
| 0-60 time | 6.8 seconds | N/A |
| MPG City | 22 mpg | N/A |
| MPG Highway | 28 mpg (AWD)/29 mpg (FWD) | N/A |
| MPG Combined | 24 mpg (AWD)/25 mpg (FWD) | N/A |
Advantage: 2020 Chevy Equinox
- Traditional automatic transmission
- Quick with the optional 2.0-liter engine
- Higher max towing capacity
Advantage: 2020 Honda CR-V
- Better fuel economy
- Higher standard fuel economy
Pricing and Features
The 2020 Chevy Equinox has six trim levels – L 1.5T, LS 1.5T, LT 1.5T, LT 2.0T, Premier 1.5T, and Premier 2.0T – and their starting prices range from $24,995 to $35,295.
Four trims make up the 2020 Honda CR-V lineup: LX, EX, EX-L, and Touring. Their starting prices range from $25,050 to $33,250.
2020 Chevy Equinox Key Features and Pricing by Trim
L 1.5T: $24,995
- 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine
- Six-speed automatic transmission
- Front-wheel drive
- Automatic engine stop/start
- Electronic parking brake
- 17-inch aluminum wheels
- Black lower window trim
- Active grille shutters
- Automatic-on/off halogen headlights
- LED daytime running lights
- Acoustic-laminated windshield
- Black mirror caps
- Heated, power mirrors
- Body-color door handles
- Chevrolet Infotainment 3 System
- 7-inch touchscreen
- Bluetooth® connectivity with audio streaming
- Apple CarPlay®
- Android Auto™
- Six-speaker audio system
- Active noise cancelation
- 4G LTE Wi-Fi® (data plan required)
- Premium cloth seating
- Four-way manual-adjust front seats
- Carpeted front floor mats
- Deluxe steering wheel
- Tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel
- Steering-wheel-mounted controls
- Power windows
- One-touch up/down driver’s window
- One-touch down passenger and rear windows
- Power door locks
- Keyless open and ignition
- Cruise control
- Two USB ports (one type-A and one type-C) in the rear of the center console
- Single-zone manual climate control
- Automatic emergency braking
- Automatic high-beam headlights
- Forward-collision warning
- Following-distance indicator
- Rear vision camera
- Front pedestrian braking
- Lane-keep assist
- Lane-departure warning
- Rear-seat reminder
- Teen Driver
LS 1.5T: $27,495
- All L 1.5T features, plus
- Compact spare tire
- Carpeted rear floor mats
- Compass
LT 1.5T: $28,695
- All LS 1.5T features, plus
- High-intensity-discharge headlights
- Power driver’s seat with lumbar
- Multicolor driver-information center
- Tinted rear glass
- Bright lower window trim
LT 2.0T: $31,195
- All LT 1.5T features, plus
- 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine
- Nine-speed automatic transmission
- 18-inch aluminum wheels
- Chrome dual-outlet exhaust
Premier 1.5T: $32,595
- All LT 1.5T features, plus
- Hands-free power liftgate
- 18-inch bright aluminum wheels
- LED headlights
- LED taillights
- Roof-mounted side rails
- Heated, power, auto-dimming mirrors with integrated turn signals
- Dual-zone automatic climate control
- Chevrolet Infotainment 3 System Plus
- 8-inch touchscreen
- USB ports in the front storage area
- Auto-dimming rearview mirror
- 120-volt power outlet
- Remote vehicle starter
- Wireless smartphone charger
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Lane-change alert with blind-spot monitoring
Premier 2.0T: $35,295
- All Premier 1.5T features, plus
- 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine
- Nine-speed automatic transmission
- 19-inch bright aluminum wheels
- Chrome dual-outlet exhaust
2020 Honda CR-V Key Features and Pricing by Trim
LX: $25,050
- 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine
- Continuously variable transmission
- Front-wheel drive
- Electronic parking brake
- Eco Assist system
- Active noise cancelation
- 17-inch alloy wheels
- Two-speed intermittent windshield wipers
- Power side-view mirrors
- Multireflector halogen headlights
- Active grille shutter
- Fin-type roof-mounted antenna
- Intermittent rear window wiper
- Remote keyless entry
- Black roofline spoiler
- Black door handles
- Automatic climate control
- Power windows with one-touch up/down driver’s window
- Power door locks
- Tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel
- Conversation mirror with sunglasses holder
- Floor mats
- Steering-wheel-mounted controls
- Cargo area light
- Six-way manual driver’s seat
- 60/40 split-folding rear seats
- 160-watt, four-speaker audio system
- 5-inch color infotainment screen
- Bluetooth® connectivity with audio streaming
- Pandora® radio
- 1.0-amp USB audio interface in the front console
- Hill-start assist
- Brake assist
- Multi-angle rearview camera with guidelines
- Forward-collision warning
- Lane-departure warning
- Automatic emergency braking
- Road-departure mitigation
- Lane-keep assist
- Adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow
- Automatic high-beam headlights
EX: $27,560
- All LX features, plus
- Remote engine start
- 18-inch alloy wheels
- Body-color roofline spoiler
- Body-color door handles
- Tinted rear glass
- Smart Entry with Walk Away Auto Lick®
- Power moonroof
- LED fog lights
- Variable-intermittent windshield wipers
- Mirror-integrated turn signals
- Illuminated vanity mirrors
- Keyless ignition
- Retractable cargo cover
- Dual-zone automatic climate control
- One-touch up/dpwn front windows
- Heated front seats1.5-amp front USB port
- Six-speaker, 180-watt audio system
- Display Audio infotainment system
- 7-inch touchscreen
- HondaLink
- Apple CarPlay®
- Android Auto™
- SiriusXM® satellite radio
- HD Radio™
- SMS text messaging function
- Two rear 2.5-amp USB charging ports
- Multi-angle rearview camera with dynamic guidelines
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Security system
EX-L: $30,050
- All EX features, plus
- Power liftgate
- Leather-wrapped shift knob
- Leather-wrapped steering wheel
- Leather-trimmed seats
- Auto-dimming rearview mirror
- HomeLink remote system
- 12-way power driver’s seat with four-way power lumbar
- Four-way power passenger’s seats
- Eight-speaker, 180-watt audio system
Touring: $33,250
- All EX-L features, plus
- Rain-sensing windshield wipers
- Hand-free power liftgate
- Roof rails
- Chrome dual-exhaust finishers
- Heated steering wheel
- Ambient lighting
- Two-position driver’s seat memory
- Navigation
- 330-watt, nine-speaker audio system with a subwoofer
- Wireless phone charger
Who Should Buy the 2020 Chevy Equinox
The 2020 Chevy Equinox offers more bang for your buck in terms of features in its lower trims, including its standard Android Auto™ and Apple CarPlay®. The Equinox also adds a potent 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine in its higher trims that delivers strong performance. Plus, with its sportier looks, the Equinox better suits the younger crowd.
Who Should Buy the 2020 Honda CR-V
The 2020 Honda CR-V has a refined look that best suits more established families and even empty nesters. Also, with its huge cargo area, it beats many larger SUVs in cargo-hauling ability. Finally, with its superior fuel economy, the CR-V works great for buyers with long commutes.
Is the 2020 Chevy Equinox the right compact crossover for your family? Stop by Garber Automall, serving Green Cove Springs, Orange Park, and the surrounding area, today to test drive one. Can’t make it to our Fleming Island area new-Chevy showroom today? Navigate to our online inventory page, choose a few in-stock Equinox models that suit your needs, and set up a test drive around your busy schedule.
